From: alain245@videotron.ca   
      
   On 2024-12-28 8:54 p.m., Snidely wrote:   
   > The Running Man wrote on 12/28/2024 :   
   >> On 28/12/2024 19:31 Alain Fournier  wrote:   
   >>> Blue Origin will probably launch New Glenn in early January. Like   
   >>> SpaceX's Falcon rockets the first stage is reusable. I think it is   
   >>> great that a second company in the satellite launch market will be   
   >>> reusing stages. It will force SpaceX to keep up doing great work if   
   >>> they don't want to be surpassed.   
   >>   
   >> Are they attempting to land the first stage on the first try?!   
   >   
   > Yep.   
   >   
   > They do have some experience landing, but with a single hydrolox motor,   
   > and a different trajectory.  We'll see soon how much of a difference   
   > that makes.   
      
   I don't think the difference in trajectory is important here. It is what   
   happens in the last few hundred meters that matters. The trajectories   
   are similar in the last few hundred meters. Of course, if they can't   
   properly control their booster when it is 50 km up, they won't succeed   
   in landing. But in such a case, I would assume that they would abort   
   trying to land on the barge.   
      
   The difference in motors is quite relevant. But also the difference in   
   air-frame.   
      
   When SpaceX was doing their first attempts at landing on a barge, they   
   had a few, uh, how would I call that, exciting landings. The barge was   
   sometimes damaged in the ensuing explosions, but the barge did survive.   
   I am kind of expecting the same to happen with Blue Origin. They will   
   probably have a few *near success* barge landings before having a   
   success. They probably are kind of expecting that. I think their barge   
   was built accordingly.   
      
      
   Alain Fournier   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)